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UFS Modular Lecture Building gets national recognition

11 May 2023 | Story Samkelo Fetile | Photo iFlair Photography

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) Modular Lecture Building on its Bloemfontein Campus recently received a National Merit Award from the South African Institute of Architects (SAIA). The awards were announced at the 2021/2022 Corobrik SAIA Awards of Merit and Awards for Excellence ceremony in Johannesburg.

The multi-functional Modular Lecture Building, considered a hub for innovative learning, was designed by Roodt Architects in partnership with GXY Architects.

The adjudication panel received a total of 42 architectural projects from around the country, including infrastructure developments in the public and private sector. The SAIA Awards programme is structured over a two-year period and is conducted in two stages. In stage one regional awards for architecture are presented by the nine regional institutes affiliated to SAIA. In stage two the winning regional projects that are consequently entered into the national awards receive either a Commendation, an Award of Merit, and/or an Award for Excellence, which recognises exceptional achievement in the field of architecture.

In their citation the adjudicators noted that the Modular Lecture Building sets a benchmark for rational planning and technical efficiency and helps complete the campus urban framework through its placing and material choices.

Multi-functional spaces for students

Nico Janse van Rensburg, Senior Director at UFS University Estates, said the recognition is a testament to the UFS’s aspirations to renew, rejuvenate, regenerate, and revisit facilities and infrastructure.

“This award proves that excellence can be achieved with a reasonable set budget,” Janse van Rensburg said. “Energy efficiency and green building principles can be achieved by careful planning and teamwork.”

The Modular Lecture Building offers a variety of much-needed flexible teaching and learning spaces. “I have been using the facilities in this building for two years now, and I can say the building is much more spacious and conducive to studying,” said Hymne Spies, a third-year BSc student majoring in biochemistry and genetics. “The many plugs make it more efficient for studying, as one can plug in his or her laptop. There is also a nice computer lab for us to make use of.”

The UFS is proud that the construction of this facility forms part of a bigger endeavour – to create a cohesive campus identity that improves core business and to further extend its innovation and excellence as per its Vision 130.

Take a tour of the new Modular Lecturing Space and Assessment Centre Building:

News Archive

Wag-’n-Bietjie, Vishuis and Sonnedou the winners at athletics

2016-01-22

The First-year Athletics event was a celebration of colour and fun. Besides the athletics on and around the track at Pellies Park on the Bloemfontein Campus, the first-years encouraged their different residences with great enthusiasm.
Photo: Johan Roux

Six out of six.

This is the proud record Wag-’n-Bietjie can boast of after the residence walked away with the women's athletics trophy for the sixth year in a row during the University of the Free State's first-year athletics meeting.

This year's men's winner, Vishuis, attained a hat trick on 20 January 2016 at Pellies Park on the Bloemfontein Campus when the residence was once again named as the athletics champion. Vishuis also won in 2014 and 2015.

What makes Wag-’n-Bietjie's triumph even more remarkable is the fact that the residence ran the fastest, jumped and threw the farthest in eight out of the past nine years. Marjolein won in 2010.

Sonnedou was second, with Roosmaryn and Soetdoring collectively the third women's residences. In the men's division, Legatum and Armentum were second and third respectively.

Sonnedou has the best spirit

The event, a celebration of colour and fun, was characterised by groups of singing first-years yelling their lungs out. The UFS Student Representative Council judges the winners of the different Spirit trophies.

Sonnedou was the overall winner of the Spirit trophy – something even more important than the action on and around the track for some residences.

Sonnedou was named the winner in the division for women's residences, after which the residence was also crowned as overall winner. Welwitschia and Vergeet-My-Nie were second and third respectively in the women's division.

In the men's division, Armentum, who continued singing even when it was raining later in the evening, was the well-deserved winner of the Spirit trophy. Villa Bravado was second with Tswelopele third.

Conlaurês won the Spirit trophy for Co-ed residences, with Imperium and Kagiso second and third respectively.

Wayde a special guest

The Kovsie athlete, Wayde van Niekerk, who also participated in the first-year athletics meeting in his day, was a special guest.

The 400 m athlete, who will represent South Africa at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, was presented to the first-years during the official welcoming ceremony.

Van Niekerk is still the Kovsie record holder in some events, including the 200 m and the 400 m, as well as the 4 x 100 m team relay event.

Team and individual results for the event.

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